Judiciary of Pennsylvania
Although different panels of three judges may sit to hear appeals, there is only one Superior Court (that is, Pennsylvania is not divided into appellate territories).
The jurisdiction of the nine-judge Commonwealth Court is limited to appeals from final orders of certain state agencies and certain designated cases from the courts of common pleas involving public sector legal questions and government regulation.
The courts of common pleas hear civil cases with an amount in controversy in excess of $7,000 and trials for serious crimes.
The courts of common pleas also hear matters involving family law (cases involving adoption, divorce, child custody, abuse and neglect, and guardianships), juvenile delinquency, trusts and estates (such as probate), and charitable organizations.
The First Judicial District, in Philadelphia, has a specialized business court docket, the Commerce Case Management Program, first established in 1999 by administrative order of Judge John W. Herron, as does the Fifth Judicial District in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh), the Commerce and Complex Litigation Center,[3] originally led by Judges R. Stanton Wettick Jr. and Christine Ward.
Pennsylvania statutory law also encourages the creation of commerce court programs in other judicial districts,[4] as well as on the intermediate appellate level.
They handle landlord-tenant matters, small civil claims (cases involving amount in controversy up to $12,000), summary offenses, violations of municipal ordinances, and preliminary hearings and arraignments in greater misdemeanor and felony offenses pursuant to Pennsylvania's Rules of Criminal Procedure which go on to be tried in the courts of common pleas.
The Pittsburgh Municipal Court is an administrative judicial unit with the 5th Judicial District staffed by Allegheny County magisterial district judges, and has been assigned all matters within the jurisdiction of the Pittsburgh Magistrates Court, which has been established by statute.
The Philadelphia Municipal Court has jurisdiction over all traffic offenses, misdemeanors, and preliminary hearings for felonies.
[11] The Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices are elected to ten year terms.
If the judge is not retained, the Governor—subject to the approval of the State Senate—appoints a temporary replacement until a special election can be held.
"[12][13] Justices and all other judges must step down from the bench at the end of the year in which they turn 75, although they may continue to serve part-time as "senior justices" on panels of the Commonwealth's lower appellate courts until they reach 78, the age of mandatory retirement.
[6][7][8] As a result of these orders, the Pittsburgh Magistrates Court is no longer staffed while the Pittsburgh Municipal Court is staffed by Allegheny County magisterial district judges assigned on a rotating basis.
